A Political Prison

Posted on June 14, 2005 in Social Justice Whimsies

The latest check on technorati shows that I am still “under surveillance” by a clique of “conservative” bloggers. So I know that the following post will be misrepresented and distorted beyond all imagining to suit their personal agendas. They failed to get the irony in my Memorial Day post in which I contrasted the spirit of the holiday with the way we Americans actually celebrate it. Again, I don’t think it is lack of reading comprehension skills: rather, it is either a determination not to see any points of possible agreement or deliberate distortion, neither of which is becoming a thoughtful, truth-seeking commentator.

I wouldn’t run a political prison, at least not the way that the United States runs Camp X-Ray or the Soviets ran the Gulag. Suppose, however, that I did and I received the honor of housing the leaders of the Dominionist movement and those politicians like Tom DeLay who supported them? What would I do?

First, the prison would be clean and temperature controlled. Every cell would have a decent bed and adequate lighting. Women would be segregated from the men in a separate wing.

When a prisoner arrived, he would undergo the usual disinfection procedures and given two or three sets of prison garb in different, attractive colors which he could wear as it pleased him. He would be asked what Bible translation he preferred. A real doctor would perform an examination and make a list of medications. The physician would see that the medicines were delivered in due course to his cell.

An electronic anklet would be affixed for use as a tracking tool.

Upon his arrival in his cell, he would be allowed time to situate himself. Works of art, pictures from magazines, etc. would be allowed. If he wanted a notebook and pen, he need only ask the guard. He could send up to seven letters each week.

By the end of his first day, he would receive a copy of the four Gospels in the translation he requested. Nothing else, just the Gospels. If he asks why the rest of the books of the Bible were excluded, he would be told “You are here for having failed to put your emphasis on these. May I suggest that you reread Chapters 5 and 6 of Matthew?”

Prisoners would be put to work making goods that could be used in relief packages or in making clothing for the homeless. They would be asked to maintain complete silence while they worked.

At breakfast and dinner, they could talk quietly to one another. At lunch, they would be required to maintain a complete silence while a staff member read to them passages from the Bible (e.g. extracts of Jeremiah) or spiritual classics (e.g. The Cloud of Unknowing or The Imitation of Christ).

They could socialize when they were back in their cells. Occasional gatherings of both the men and the women would be arranged.

Undoubtably, they would pray. This would not be discouraged. Comments from prisoners such as “I am praying for you” would be met with “Thank you. I am praying for you, too. But I pray most for my own soul and I advise you to do the same.” Remarks that are out of keeping with the words of Christ as presented in the Gospels would be gently corrected. Prisoners who wish to attend Bible studies led by capable staffers could do so, so long as they did not disrupt proceedings.

Someone will try to escape. The electronic anklet will help prevent that — when the ring is broken, an alert goes off. If the prisoner wanders into a forbidden zone, an alarm will sound.

Prisoners may plan on escaping together. If a prisoner comes to the staff and informs them of an attempt, that prisoner will be rewarded with chocolate or other suitable pleasure food. The prisoners mentioned in the conspiracy will be brought individually to me or my immediate subordinates where they will be treated to an hour long lecture on the virtue of humility and acceptance of the trials which God places upon them. Needless to say, given the reward and the mildness of the punishment, few will regret turning in their fellow prisoners.

Supervised visits with family and friends will be allowed, of course.

In the end, after a period of years, more than a few of these prisoners will be allowed to return to the general population. They will have no scars, no bruises, no traumas. They will be in reasonable health. If they’ve required new medications, including psychotropics, they will have prescriptions for them.

This is how I would run a political prison, with an eye to rehabilitating those whose ideas have brought the culture to war and strife. Through all of this, they will be seen as human beings, unconditionally worthy of love.

That’s nothing like the prisons these run today or like the prisons they will run where “blasphemy” would be treated as a capital offense.